Process evaluation of a pilot multi-component physical activity intervention - active schools: Skelmersdale

Area of Science:

• Childhood health and physical activity promotion in educational settings.
• Intervention design and implementation science.
• Process evaluation methodologies for school-based programs.

Background:

• Schools are vital for promoting child physical activity (PA), but multi-component interventions may not always be effective.
• The Active Schools: Skelmersdale (AS:Sk) pilot intervention showed no significant increase in child PA levels.
• Process evaluations are crucial for understanding intervention delivery and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the AS:Sk intervention from child and teacher perspectives.
• To understand how schools implemented the AS:Sk intervention components.
• To identify factors influencing the frequency and integration of intervention components into the school day.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a mixed-methods approach combining child (write, draw, show, tell) and teacher (interviews) data.
• Incorporated systematic researcher observations using field notes.
• Pooled data from 18 children and 3 teachers, alongside 18 observations, to identify themes.

Main Results:

• Four overarching themes and 16 sub-themes emerged, detailing implementation methods and child engagement.
• Key facilitators included peer/teacher influence, incentives, flexibility, and child ownership.
• Significant barriers comprised curriculum time constraints, space limitations, sustaining interest, and school policies.

Conclusions:

• Teachers favored classroom-based activities due to fewer implementation barriers (time, space).
• Children expressed a preference for activities conducted outside the classroom.
• Future interventions should balance routine and flexible PA, supported by further process evaluations.